Power press



R. FURRER POWER PRES S Dec. 19, 1933.

Filed Feb. 3, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1 N VEN TOR.

Rudolph Fin-rez- R. FURRER POWER PRES 5 Dec. 19, 1

Filed Feb. 3, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENY 0R Rudolph HITIGI By ZX/MM A TTORNE Y.

R. FURRER Dec. 19, 1933.

POWER PRE S 5 Fil d F b, 5, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VEN TOR.

r e Y. W

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 19, 1933 7 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES Application February 3, 1930. Serial No. 425,465

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a power press which is adapted for forming and shaping metal articles.

One of the objects of the invention is to 6 provide a power press. which is compact and which may be readily and economically manufactured in separate compact units capable of being assembled with several units in aligned relation to provide a press of substantial length.

Another object is to provide a press which is simple and efficient inoperation and which may be readily controlled and operated.

Another object is to provide a power press which will require a minimum of shop floor space. I

Other objects will appear hereinafter with reference to the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. v

The views of the drawings are as follows:

Figure 1 is a front side elevation of the assembled press showing parts thereof in section.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a rear side viewof the press.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section'on line5-V-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the bed frame.

The power press comprises in general a plurality of spaced individual operating. power units which may be readily removed and replaced, and which may be substituted, onefor another.

The machine illustrated in the drawings has six of these units arranged in longitudinal alignment to provide a press of substantial length for shaping long tubular articles; although, any suitable number of units may be employed.

The press is preferably supported upon reinforced concrete piers 1 which may extend below the level of the floor 2 as shown in Fig. 2. The concrete piers 1 support spaced longitudinally extending base plates'3 which are rigidly fastened to the piers by suitable stay bolts 4.

The units of the press are supported upon the base plates 3, each unit having a transversely extending bed frame '5 which is fastened to the respective base plates by clamps 6. It is preferable to insert Babbitt metal 7 between the clamps 6 and the bed frames 5 to obtain a. more rigid and permanent connection which will resist the shocks transmitted thereto during the operation of the press.

A lower diesupporting block 8 rests upon the bed frames 5 of the several units and extends for the full length of the press. The block 8 has a central longitudinally extending recess 9. 65' of rectangular cross section in its upper surface for receiving the sectional lower die members 10. The sectional upper die members 11 fit in a recess 12, similar to the recess 9, in the lower surface of an upper die supporting block 13 which extends for the full length of the press and is positioned directly above the block 8. The upper block 13 is adapted to move vertically so that the dies 10 and 11 cooperate to form the article desired.

In order to insure that the movement of the upper die 11 will always be in a vertical direction toward and away from the lower die 10, the upper die supporting block 13 is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending guide rods 14 which reciprocate in openings'or guide ways 7 15 in the lower die block 8 as the upper die is operated. The upper surface of the block 8 is provided with shoulders 16 which fit into recesses 17 in the upper block 13 as the dies are closed together, thus further safeguarding the 7 alignment of the die members 10 and 11 .during the operation of the press. l

The upper die block 13 is hung from a cross head or lever arm 18 by means of a pivotal connection 19. This connection preferably comprises a pivot pin 20 which is journaled in aligned openings in upstanding webs 21 on the block 13 and depending plates 22 on the lever arm 18. The pivot pin is surrounded by a pivotal shaft or roller 23 between the plates 22. The lever arm 18 is provided with a bearing block 24 which receives the upper half of the shaft 23, while the upper die block 13 is provided with a bearing block 25 for receiving the lower half of the shaft 23. The power of the press is transmitted to the upper die through the bearings 24 and 25 and pivotal shaft 23, thereby relieving the relatively small pivot pin 20 of strain.

The'lever arm 18 has a fulcrum 26 at the end nearest the connection 19 where it is pivoted to a vertical linlrZ'. extending upwardly from the bed frame 5 and pivoted thereto. The link 27 is adapted to pivot upon the bed frame 5 so that its upper end which provides the fulcrum for the lever arm 18 may move laterally during the operation of the press to compensate for the tipping of the lever arm as it imparts a straight vertical movement to the upper dies 11.

The farther end 28 of the. lever arm 18 is pivotally connected to a vertical power link 29 which has its lower end pivoted to the piston rod 30 of a hydraulic power cylinder 81. The hydraulic cylinder. 31 is fastened to the bed frame 5. ;As it has been found preferable to employ the power cylinders 31 solely for applying the working pressure for the press, separate hydraulic cylinders 32 which are substantially smaller in diameter are provided for lifting the end 28 of the lever arm 18. These cylinders 32 are preferably arranged between the bed frames 5 of the separate pairs of units, and the piston rods 33 of the cylinders are pivotally connected to the lower end of the link 29 by the same pivot pin 34 as connects the power piston rod 30 thereto. In this construction the lever arm 18 and its depending die block 13 and dies 11 are supported by the fulcrum link 27 and the power link 29 and cylinders 32. V

The lower die supporting block 8 is fastened in alignment with respect to the bed frames by means of plates 35 arranged on opposite sides of the blocks 8. The plate 35 are fastened in recesses in the bed frames 5 and one of the plates isprovided with a wedge shaped clamp 36 for adjustment in assembling.

The lever arms 18 of the several units are secured in alignment with each other by means of plates 37 set in recesses in adjacent sides thereof and extending for the full length of the press.

The several units of the press are operated simultaneously by connecting the several power cylinders 31 to a common control and making the lifting cylinders 32 subservient to said control whereby the lifting cylinders are operated at periods alternating with the operation of the power cylinders. The plates 37 serve to cause simultaneous operation of the lever arms 18 and also effect an equalization of the pressures exerted by the several actuating cylinders throughout the length of the upper die member.

The press may have any suitable means for charging and discharging the work. A suitable blank feeding mechanism lies in providing opposed beveled rollers 38 at each end of the press and allowing the incoming blank to push the formed blank from the press. Suitable ejector means may be provided whereby the formed pipe blank is raised from the lower die cavity. The

ejector shown comprises a bar 39 adapted to seat in a groove or recess 40 in the bottom of the lower die. The bar 39 is actuated by a cross arm 41 which engages downwardly extending pins 42 secured to said bar. The cross arm 41 is hung from the upper die block 13 by means of stay bolts 43 which extend through apertures 44 in the lower die block 8.

The operation of the press is as follows: In

the normal open position of the press the power cylinders 31 are empty while the'lifting cylinders 32 are full and hold the lever arm 18 in its upper position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

When a blank is positioned in the machine the operator manipulates the valve which allows the escape of fluid from the lifting cylinders 32 and fills the power cylinders 31 with fluid under high pressure. This causes the upper die 11 to move downwardly and to press the blank into the power die 10. After the article is pressed the valve is turnedto a position which will allow the escape of the fluid pressure from the power cylinders 31 and to fill the lifting cylinders 32 with fluid pressure to raise the upper die. As the upper die is raised the cross arm 41 is raised therewith and near the end of its upward movement said cross arm engages the pins 42 and causes the ejector bar 39 to raise the work from the lower die; after which, the finished work is removed from the press and another blank inserted.

During the movement of the upper die 11, it is kept in vertical alignment with the lower die 10 by means of the guide rods 14.

It is preferable to construct the press so that the pivotal connection 19 between the upper die block 13 and the lever arm 18 is less than half the distance from the fulcrum 26 than is the pivotal connection between the power end 28 of the lever arm and the power link 29. The greater the difference between these distances, the less fluid pressure will be required. However, where a greater leverage is employed the power cylinder 31 must have a greater length of stroke. A construction which has been found suitable is one in which a 23 inch stroke of the power piston will cause a 10 inch stroke of the upper die 11.

Various modifications of the invention may be employed within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A power press comprising a pair of relatively movable cooperating dies, a lower stationary support for one of said dies and an upper movable support for the other of said dies, a lever arm pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof tothe upper movable die support, a vertical link having the upper end thereof pivotally connected to one end of the lever arm I:

the vertical pivotal movement of said lever arm will effect a vertical rectilinear movement of the upper die.

2. A power press comprising a pair of relatively movable dies, a lower stationary support for one of said dies and an upper movable support for the other of said dies, a cross head pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the upper movable support, a vertical link having the upper end thereof pivotally connected to one end of said cross head and having the lower end thereof pivotally connected to said stationary support, power operating means connected to said stationary support, a power link pivotally connected at its lower end to the power operating means and at its upper end to the opposite end of the cross head for causing a pivotal movement of said cross head, and means for confining relative movement between said die supports to a vertical rectilinear path during the pivotal movement of the cross head.

3. A power press comprising a bed frame, a cross head spaced vertically from said bed frame, downwardly extending projections on opposite sides of said cross head intermediate the ends thereof, a pin journalled in saidprojections and extending outwardly therefrom, a roller enclosing said pin between said projections, bearing blocks disposed between said cross head and said roller, an upper movable die support having lower bearing blocks engaging the lower. side of said roller, upwardly extending projections on said die support having openings therein for receiving the outwardly projecting portion of said pin, downwardly extending guide rods on said upper movable support, 'adie' carried by said support, a vertical link having one end thereof pivotally connected to one end of said cross head and having the other end thereof pivotally connected to the bed frame, a lower die support secured to said bed frame, guide sleeves on said lower support for receiving the guide rods of the upper die support, a die disposed within said lower die support and cooperating with said upper die, a power link pivotally connected to the opposite end of said cross head, a power cylinder secured to said bed frame and pivotally connected to said power link for causing a pivotal downward movement of said cross head, and a separate power cylinder for effecting a pivotal upward movement of said cross head.

4. A power press for forming and sizing articles of substantial lengths comprising a plurality of operating units arranged in spaced aligned relation, each of said operating units comprising a lower stationary frame, an upper pivotal lever arm, a vertical link pivotally connecting the adjacent ends of the stationary frame and the upper pivotal arm, a power cylinder secured to said stationary frame and having a piston operating therein, a power link pivotally connecting said piston with the other end of the upper pivotal arm, a lower die support secured to said stationary arm and extending transversely of said operating units for the full length of the machine, an upper die support pivotally connected intermediate the ends of the upper pivotal arm, cooperating guiding elements on said die'supports between the several units, fluid pressure means for operating said power cylinders to eifect a downward pivotal movement of the lever arm, separate power means for effecting an upward pivotal movement of the lever arm, and ejecting means for raising the article from the lower die during upward movement of the arm.

5. A power press comprising a pair of relatively movable cooperating dies, a lower stationary support for one of said dies, and an upper movable support for the other of said dies, a lever arm pivotally connected to the upper movable die support, a vertical link having the upper end thereof pivotally connected to one end of the lever arm and having the lower end thereof pivotally connected, to the lower stationary die support, power means operatively connected to the other end of said lever arm for causing a vertical pivotal movement of said lever arm, guideways arranged in one of said die supports and disposed on opposite sides of said dies, and guide rods on the other of said die supports adapted to reciprocate within said guideways whereby the vertical pivotal movement of said lever arm will effect a vertical rectilinear movement of the upper die relative to the lower stationary die.

6. A power press comprising a main bed plate, a plurality of press units disposed on the bed plate, means for adjusting the press units relative to the bed plate to align them, each unit having relatively movable die carrying members and means for actuating the die carrying members, means for rigidly connecting the respective die carrying members of the several units to provide a unitary press and to equalize the pressures exerted by the several power actuating means throughout the length of the press.

7. A power press comprising a base, a main bed plate carried by the base, a plurality of press units disposed on the bed plate, means for adjusting the press units relative to the bed plate to align them, actuating means for each press unit, each of said actuating means including a cross-head pivotally connected to the base and to the movable die to effect a translating no movement of the cross-head during operation,

a reciprocating actuating device carried by the base, and a power transmitting link pivotally connected between the actuating device and the cross-head, and means for rigidly connecting the respective cross-heads of the several units to provide a unitary press and to equalize the pressures exerted by the several power actuating means throughout the length of the press.

RUDOLPH FURRER. 

